


The Lake We Call Home

by zoellick



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Episode: s02e09 Lady of the Lake, F/M, I'm Terrible At Endings Sorry, Not Really Fluff Or Agnst, episode rewrite
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-29
Updated: 2016-10-29
Packaged: 2018-08-27 18:14:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 927
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8411542
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zoellick/pseuds/zoellick
Summary: Freya was locked away, with all hope gone. Until she was saved.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Bound to be mistakes, sorry!!

Freya’s eyes were wide as she stared at her saviour. He seemed to be glowing with magic, eyes and smile alike. However, no matter how endearing he was, Freya had learnt the hard way not to trust a person so easily. That was how the bounty hunter had caught her in the first place.

Freya wrapped her arms around herself. It was cold in the tunnel.

“Why did you do that?” She found herself asking. He was strange, the boy. There was something about his magic that seemed genuine and trustworthy. Freya was curious. But also, wary.

Unlike Freya, the boy was too trusting. He opened up to Freya within minutes of knowing her. He saved her from that wretched cage. Freya watched as the boy smiled, his eyes looking at her with an easiness that she’d never experienced before.

“I’m Merlin, by the way.” Merlin said. Freya’s heart warmed.

Merlin had helped him.

Merlin was coming back.

She wasn’t going to be alone.

“I’m Freya.”

Merlin repeated her name, grinning. Freya looked back at his eyes. They were warm and friendly.

-

“Because I’m cursed.” Freya said, eyes trailing down, gut twisting. She still hadn’t told him. Merlin looked sad and confused at the comment. His eyes lit up, a fire blazing behind them. Freya wondered if he would ever know what she felt like. She doubted it.

Merlin’s voice was strong and determined, but all Freya felt was guilt. “Magic doesn't have to be a curse. It can be a gift.” Maybe to Merlin magic was a gift, but deep down, Freya knew it couldn’t give _her_ any happiness.

Merlin whispered foreign words that were familiar to Freya. She remembered that spell from when she was a little girl. The little flames rose in the air, following Merlin’s command. A smile, involuntary, slipped onto Freya’s face. The fire rose near her face and she could feel the flickers of warmth across her cheeks. She could feel Merlin’s magic pulsing in the room. “Beautiful,” She whispered.

Merlin was too kind; too naïve. But it was refreshing. Freya enjoyed having him near.

-

“Did you think I wasn’t coming?” Merlin said as he sat down. Freya didn’t meet his eyes. “I promised I would.”

It was too perfect, this thing with Merlin. He was too nice, too kind. “I scare most people away,” She said, smiling sadly.

“I’m not most people.” Merlin insisted. Freya grinned. She feared she was falling for him.

-

Freya slept during the day. She dreamed of her home, what she could remember.

The lake glistened in the morning sunlight. It glittered and shimmered, like fish scales. The ones that swam close to the bank when you didn’t disrupt the water. Ripples erupted from a pebble that plunged into the water, and sank deep down. Freya laughed. She fell back, head surrounded by pinks and yellows, and bumble bees, and clouds above her. She could hear the laughter of children (little trouble-makers) and their feet pattered on the grass and swayed in the water. It was heaven.

-

Merlin gave her that goofy smile of his as he opened his clasped hands to reveal a red rose. Her heart leapt. She smiled at him, “That's not a strawberry.”

Merlin looked guiltily at her, and remarked that it was the right colour.

 

“Merlin, please, listen to me. I’m not like you.”

 

“You’re not scared of me?”

Merlin shook his head. He was so close to her. “Being different's nothing to be scared of.”

Merlin’s eyes looked to her lips. Freya’s heart pulled and tightened in her chest. Their lips met. They kissed. Freya’s heart erupted.

-

If Freya wasn’t so in love, she would have said that Merlin was crazy. With his ideas of escaping, running away together.

“Where will we go?” She asked, eyes lit up.

Merlin replied, “Somewhere with mountains.”

“A few fields.”

“Wild flowers.”

“A couple of cows.”

“And a lake.” Merlin added.

Freya nodded, “And a lake,” she repeated.

-

She thought she was saving him. She’d only hurt Merlin, anyway.

But she was back where she started. Caught by the bounty hunter. Just this time she had a hole in her heart.

Pain tore throughout her body. She was turning.

-

Merlin came back to her. Even though he knew what she was. Even though he knew she’d lied. Freya couldn’t describe the happiness she felt.

-

The two of them were surrounded by mountains. A slight breeze moved her head to the side. A shining, glimmering lake stretched out before her. In her weak state, she smiled. “You remembered.”

 

“There must be something I can do, some way to save you.” Merlin seemed desperate.

Freya smiled, her weak heart pounding, “You've already saved me.” She said, eyes misty, “You made me feel loved.”

Freya felt herself slipping away and she let the darkness take her.

-

Candlelight.

-

A butterfly.

-

A rose.

-

Freya stirred. Her eyes were blurry at first. But then she focused on the lake. The sun was light and the breeze was gentle.

She sat up.

Merlin was sat, feet wading in the water.

“Merlin?” She croaked. He spun around, tears in his eyes and a silly grin plastered on his face.

“Freya!” He called, scrambling to his feet. He took her hand and questions started spurting out of his mouth. Freya didn’t listen, she only looked at him, smiling and gripping on to his hand.

“Thank you, Merlin.” She stroked his hand.

She kissed him. Slowly, sweetly, sincerely.

He had saved her. And she fell for him.

And they lived, together, by the lake.


End file.
